A very nice song.  Very cool and the poem is really nice.

wunderful lyrics - "kaleidoscope of tree" - great imagery

This is a song on which I sing and play pedal steel guitar.  The song is based on a poem by my late aunt:  Pat Brandstetter.  Here is here original poem:

Riding Along
(1994)

Riding along in the car,
Beauty abounds
Wherever you are.
A kaleidoscope of trees 
Tall and green,
A patchwork of 
Lakes large and serene.
The animals look so strong 
And proud from afar.
All this beauty you take in
Riding along in a car.


Riding Along

Somewhere cross the world
People free and brave
Anything they want they take
It's a land of plenty
Enough for everyone
Except for those with none

Don't worry darling 
Little one dry your tears
It's somewhere far from here

Got tiny little hearts
To hear the way they live
So little love left to give
And if they got no house
They live on the street
Or maybe in a car's backseat

But don't worry darling
Little one dry your tears
It's somewhere far from here

Late at night they sing their songs
With all the grace of Babylon

My beautiful child
May you never see
What's become of their dream
Soon the day will be dawning
We'll wake and rise my darling
While somewhere night has fallen 
Somewhere far from here

But don't worry darling
Little one dry your tears
It's somewhere far from here

Somewhere Far From Here

And now for my next act
It's not the final one
That act is still to come
Now for my next act
Just when you thought it was done
It's only just begun
The best is yet to come

Now for my next act
Please, please don't leave yet
This is where it gets good
Now for my next act
A rabbit out of a hat
And on top of all that
The best is yet to come

I know the sun is soon to set
But I know I got so far to go before I rest

Now for my next act
Something you won't believe
Can you stay seated please
Now for my next act
I know it's getting late
But it's worth the wait
The best is yet to come

I know the sun is soon to set
But I know I got miles to go before I rest

Now for my next act
It's called the Tower of Doom'
Could you make some room
Now for my next act
Can I get a volunteer to stand up here

Now for my next act
It's not the final one
That act is still to come
Now for my next act
Just when you thought it was done 
It's only just begun

Now for my next act...

And Now For My Next Act

It's not often that an entire nation suddenly has its hands unshackled, its mouth ungagged and its cell door left ajar with an open invitation to leave the darkness and step into the light.

So, Syria, what's it to be?

Hmmm...?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Find Seagull's music here:  https://soundcloud.com/farout-music-studio

Find David's music here:  https://soundcloud.com/david-dunhamuser589535203

Artwork by Seagull
_____________________________________________________________________________

Mother Syria

Hold my hand up to the sun to reach this smouldered rubble
Lift my eyes again with little patience left in trust
Assad years, father and son, each the devil’s double
Gassed and burned my cradle nation to blood-soaked mental dust

With his face alight the new guy’s mission, pure, sent from heaven
Promises truth, gold, light and god in his virgin presidential pledge
In the dead of night autocracy voted AK47
New boots crush freedom’s fingertips, as they’re clinging to the ledge

Mother Syria at the crossroads, will your ancient beauty shine,
That cradled understanding of things earthly and divine?

Mother Syria at the crossroads, will your ancient beauty shine,
Or should we prepare the palliatives for your sectarian decline?

Mother Syria at the crossroads, will your ancient beauty shine,
On the path of sane humanity or on diabolos’ design?

Mother Syria will you renounce the suicide bomber’s blast?
Maybe seek out peace at last?

Mother Syria   ...   with Seagull and David Dunham

Funny old world.  Whilst scrumping about on SC my travels took me to Michele's cloud where I alighted on his track as named above. Sharp intake of breath and a hurried message to Michele to ask if he might be so kind as to permit me to pen a few words to accompany it.  He graciously agreed.  Having nothing in mind at the time I hastily back-pedalled and explained that it might be best if he didn't hold his breath....next day I listened again and Mr Spotty Book called over Mr Pen for a chat.  What followed in the next hour or so is somewhat blurred.  I always try to read a text in one take, for integrity's sake.  This was my fourth attempt and the only one I managed to complete.  

I decided to quit while I was ahead.

Thank you, Michele, for the warm nostalgic smile infused in this wonderful music of yours, and for the (unexpectedly moist) journey upon which it took me.

Find Michele's music here:  https://soundcloud.com/michele-ansani
________________________________________________________________________________

All the old little things we have lost

Of course, you know, Dad, that some stuff doesn’t work too well these days.
I’ll forget odd bits and bobs, like, maybe having lunch or doing promised jobs
Blimey, even birthdays on occasion slip the mind
As today’s neurons disconnect, recall’s evasion of my yesterdays so to find.
I actually forgot why I came into this room in the first place
Stood a while, cast about, then saw your face
Your smile leaping out from the old photo there
Engendered mine, returned, locked in loving stare
And propelled me back to play in those monochrome years
You know, our old box brownie’s still tucked away in the cupboard under the stairs.

Remember how it was, Dad,  how we lived, things we had?
Thrupenny bits and ha’pennies and bikes with hard rubber wheels
Plastic shoes and sock holes darned
Sparse but regular high carb, high fat meals
Never did us any harm
Hand-me-downs all around, we craved the latest style
Segs in shoes and outside loos
A homely fireplace, though just the one
We’d huddle round, our toasting forks with crumpets on, and laughing all the while

So I won’t forget all the old little things we have lost
Things so casually into history’s family album tossed
But neither have I lost my tendency to tears, welling soft
From the broken heart that burned for you, 
Then split apart and turned to frost
That day you died, just fifty two, so very young.
Who’d have thought that all those old little things
Would fill the font of memory springs 
From which this tearful smile of mine has sprung.

All the old little things we have lost: some words set to the music of Michele Ansani

MIX/MASTER: Mariosyjp

LYRIC
Faced with the knowledge 
No one knows that much 
Put your brain in sleep mode
Except your plans for lunch 
You need your nutrition 
As you contemplate 
Can you go home early 
When you came in late

Oh go on and try
Trying’s always worth a try 
Throw caution to the wind
But should it boomerang
Forget what I just sang  
Catch it on the fly, it’s worth a try

Cry to the heavens 
Curse the world to hell
But keep it to a whisper 
There’s no need to yell 
Everyone is busy
Most are on their phone
If you’re waiting on an answer
Better check your own

Still, go on and try
Trying’s always worth a try 
Gather your resources
Pack clean underwear
As if someone will care
Shout out “do or die!” 
It’s worth a try

Take your best shot
Give it all you got
And if you spot
A chance, then pounce
Serve up your last ounce
Of nerve then announce…Well I tried

So a boulder is waiting
Head down, bend your knees
From here it’s all uphill
And Sisyphus agrees
When you get to the top
Take a look around
While your back is turned
The boulder rolls back down

Sure, go on and try
Trying’s always worth a try 
This might be the puzzle
Where all the pieces fit
It’s no time to quit
Raise your hopes up high
Watch that frail bird fly
’Til an eagle drops from the sky
Oh my
Sigh
It was worth a try

Worth A Try

Kenny Roger’s Cover with my musical friend from North 🇺🇸

You Decorated My Life

i cant make you love me (Cover)  Lo Fi   guitar and vocals only( one take)

Here we have Jim Sanders and David Carter smashing it on drums and tamborine, Leon Carter with the juicy bass, Dave Toolan with the guitar chops, Jonny Rabbs with the peels of harmonica, and a slice of acoustic guitar and grated vocals from myself! 
~
Lyrics

Compost Heap

Take the watercress, that’s past it’s best, and the mouldy old sprouts,
The cabbage and the baggage of disappointments and doubts,
Every surreal ordeal, and the way it made you feel,
chuck it in the bucket with the old potato peel.

Soggy lettuce that upset us, and the unused courgettes,
Got forgotten and went rotten filling us with such regrets
The only way to move on, to forgive and to forget…
is to tear up some old newspapers… mix some dry in with the wet…

Chorus
And throw it on the compost heap

Take the melon seeds and fantasies, and avocado skins,
The fallen leaves and garden weeds, and seven deadly sins,
Put the rhubarb in the garbage, dump the pumpkin in the bin,
Ditch the spinach you didn’t finish, discard the chard you didn’t begin

Dispose of all those promises, sealed with a kiss
Dispense with senseless memories of momentary bliss
Declarations with carnations, guilty pleasures, must away
Recriminations, indignations, wilted flowers have had their day

Chorus
And throw it on the compost heap

Sling the beetroot and the jackfruit and the funky furry grapes
Boot the absolutes and old disputes, like scrapings off your plate.
Fling the incredibly inedible out of date dates
with the mis-haps, misadventures, misdemeanours, and mistakes.

Hurl the curly kale if it’s stale, no more ifs or buts
Get over all your losses, leftovers and off-cuts
top and tail the carrots, hellos and goodbyes
Toss the possibilities that were never realised

Chorus
And throw it on the compost heap

The tit for tat, bitter battles, and diplomatic talks
chitter chatter, it’s organic matter like broccoli stalks!
Like a rancid lime, the time has come for anger and for blame,
To be consigned like putrid pride and slimy lumps of shame

If a failure could derail ya then it’s time to get well shot
bad behaviour, manual labour, and all that bloody rot
Black bananas, psychodramas, and shrivelled up shallots
Gone bad, gone off, gone sad and soft,
Toss the bloody lot

Chorus
And throw it on the compost heap

(… and of course that’s not where the story ends… the compost goes on to feed the soil, feed the new growth the new life)…  hence:

~Mellow reprise~

When you’ve piled it on, all said and done
And the worms have had a munch
And deep within your heap
It’s a mushy fertile mulch

Rich and potent, broken down,
Fully decomposed…
Spread it out or dig it in
Where it’s needed most!

Compost Heap

Nobody Loves Me Like You Do

This Heart

I am Dan Lockhart/ProgRockDan.  I am half of the duo Dan X2.  I enjoy making music with my partner Dan Blackard.  I was born in East St. Louis, Illinois.  I was raised in a rural area near Edwardsville, Illinois.  I have lived in San Antonio, Texas; Bad, Kreuznach, Germany;  Kansas City, Missouri; Columbus, Georgia; Haverhill Massachusetts;  St, Louis, Missouri, and Indianapolis, Indiana.  I have resided in Carmel Indiana for the past 20 + years.  I consider this home.  I have a small studio in my home.  I go to it everyday and work on creating (writing) songs.  I play bass, guitar, banjo, mandolin, pedal steel, piano, violin, and viola.  I use Cubase for my DAW.  I master using Izotope, Ozone.

You can find my other music on these sites:
https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan1
https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart
https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan-instrumentals

https://www.reverbnation.com/prdvocals
https://www.reverbnation.com/progrockdan1
https://www.reverbnation.com/daniellockhart4

My songs with Dan Blackard can be found here:
https://soundcloud.com/user-106484228
https://soundcloud.com/user-590884876

https://www.reverbnation.com/dananddan5
https://www.reverbnation.com/danx2


I have a collection Christmas songs here:
https://www.youtube.com/@prd.christmas4703

Children's music are here:
https://www.youtube.com/@musicfirkids

Here is a link to my Patreon Page.  You can find music that is only available to my patreon supporters on this page.
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=59878068

I have 72 Songs about Space here:
https://hearthis.at/progrockdan1/set/space-songs/

Riding Along

Daniel Lockhart

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